Energy & Environment

Biden tightens chemical safety rule loosened by Trump

by Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk 03/01/24 06:53 PM ET

A fire burns at a Shell chemical facility in Deer Park, Friday, May 5, 2023 east of Houston. A chemical plant in the Houston area has caught fire, sending a huge plume of smoke into the sky. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said Friday the fire was at a Shell USA Inc. facility in Deer Park, a suburb east of Houston. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Presented by AFPM — EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe said that it contains the ‘strongest safety requirements ever for industrial facilities.’

{beacon}

Energy & Environment

The Big Story

EPA imposes stricter safety rules for chemical plants

Biden administration on Friday tightened a safety rule for chemical plants that was loosened under the Trump administration.

The rule is designed to prevent chemical accidents.

EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe said that it contains the “strongest safety requirements ever for industrial facilities.”

It restores measures that were rolled back by the Trump administration, including:

Requiring companies to assess potentially safer technologies and processes that can limit hazards.
Restoring a requirement for “root cause” analyses after accidents.

These regulations were first implemented under the Obama administration after a 2013 explosion at a fertilizer plant in Texas killed 15 people.

The rule also imposes new safety measures like:

Requiring high-accident sectors to write plans and implement safeguards.
Making more information about safety risks available to nearby communities.

The rules apply to 12,000 industrial facilities, including chemical manufacturers and distributors, oil refineries, food and beverage manufacturers and agricultural supply distributors.

Read more at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Hawley vents frustration to McConnell in tense Capitol meeting

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), a rising conservative voice in the Senate, confronted Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) during a private meeting Thursday evening over McConnell’s opposition to Hawley’s proposal to compensate victims of radioactive exposure around St. Louis.

Full Story

Lee’s Senate campaign introduces sweeping climate and environment plan

Rep. Barbara Lee’s (D-Calif.) Senate campaign released her plan for climate action Friday, two weeks after front-runner Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). The plan, first shared with The Hill, emphasizes resolving racial and class disparities in environmental matters and promises to expand…

Full Story

Environmental leaders discuss barriers, ways forward during panel on climate policy

Young leaders from both sides of the aisle discussed topics ranging from the impact of climate change on health to ways to engage with politicians during a Thursday environmental policy panel hosted by The Hill.

Full Story

In Other News

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

Senate passes spending bill, punting shutdown threat to next week

The Senate on Thursday passed a short-term spending bill that punts this weekend’s shutdown threat to later in the month, but leaves questions about how Congress will fund the government through the rest of the year.

Full Story

What We’re Reading

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

Utility Fraud and Corruption Are Threatening the Clean Energy Transition (Floodlight/Mother Jones)
Florida knew prison well could be contaminated but let women keep drinking (the Tampa Bay Times)
The Academics Helping the Meat Industry Avoid Climate Scrutiny (The New Republic)

On Our Radar

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

A Senate vote is expected next week on a measure that would provide compensation for nuclear testing radiation victims, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) tweeted.

Wednesday

The Securities and Exchange Commission will vote on whether to adopt a rule requiring companies to disclose climate-related information
The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on a newly unveiled GOP wildlife conservation bill
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing titled “Examining Extended Producer Responsibility Policies for Consumer Packaging.” The Chairman and CEO of S. C. Johnson & Son is slated to testify.

Thursday

The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing titled “Monetizing Nature and Locking up Public Land: The Implications of Biden’s Strategy for Natural Capital Accounting.”

What Others are Reading

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Trump, Georgia attorneys clash in final Fani Willis disqualification arguments

Attorneys for former President Trump and his Georgia co-defendants made their final pitch Friday to disqualify Fulton County, Ga., District Attorney Fani Willis (D), attacking her credibility and motives given her romantic relationship with a top prosecutor. Read more

Georgia state House passes bill allowing police to arrest anyone suspected of being in country illegally

The Georgia state House passed a bill that allows for anyone suspected of being in the United States illegally to be arrested. Read more

Energy & Environment

Energy & Environment

EPA imposes stricter safety rules for chemical plants

The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Energy and Environment newsletter

Energy & Environment